Gilles and Nicolas Verot, master pork butchers from father to son, a well-crafted legacy

In the world of charcuterie, Gilles and Nicolas Verot are the rock stars of sausage and pâté. On the one hand, Gilles, the patriarch, embodies tradition. Trained in the family home in the Loire, he also learned from Georges Reynon in Lyon, as well as in Paris with his future in-laws. Gilles is a charcutier pur souche who grew up with his hands immersed in the pig and respect for tradition. On the other, Nicolas, "the first-born", who made his first fromage de tête at the age of six, but first tried a parallel path in business law, before turning back to join his father's charcuterie. Today, Maison Verot is present in Paris with five boutiques, and also promotes its expertise internationally. Here's a portrait of two passionate people.

Nicolas, you once said that, when you were in high school, being the "son of a pork butcher" wasn't exactly the thing that boosted popularity. Do you still feel that way?

Nicolas Verot: Actually, when I was a kid, I was very proud of my parents' trade, there's no doubt about that. But back then, the culinary professions didn't have the same aura as they do today. It wasn't as cool to say "my dad makes sausages". Things have changed a lot, and now these trades have evolved and are valued. The whole craft industry has evolved, but the food trades in particular.

Gilles Verot: And it's a real source of pride to see that. Crafts and gastronomy are finally being respected for their true worth. Our mission is to preserve this know-how and add our little touch to the edifice. And our edifice is French artisanal charcuterie.

Gilles, you started working with your father in Saint-Étienne, but didn't stay to take over the family business. What made you decide to leave rather than stay?

G.V. : Well, it was a bit of a generation clash. My father and I didn't always see things the same way. At the time, downtown Saint-Étienne was losing a lot of its dynamism, and the family home was suffering as a result. After having had a taste of Parisian work, which was much more effervescent, coming back to Saint-Étienne seemed a bit complicated. I was 20, young and impatient, and to be honest, life in Paris was so bright that I wanted to stay.

Is being a pork butcher from father to son always a generational shock?

G.V.: Not necessarily. My wife Catherine and I have always tried to create a real complicity with Nicolas... perhaps like the one I would have liked to share with my own father.

Lucie Sassiat

Nicolas, was there a moment in your childhood when you saw your father at work that made you want to follow in his footsteps? An outstanding scene that convinced you?

N.V.: Actually, no, there wasn't any particular moment. For me, it was something that infused gradually. If one day I'd had a sudden revelation when I saw my father putting together a pâté or preparing a ham, I think it would have happened too quickly, and maybe it would have gone away just as quickly. Instead, it came gradually, over time. In the beginning, I wasn't destined for this, I'd rather gone into business law, but the passion that my parents passed on to me ended up attracting me more than the universe I'd been destined for.

G.V.: I think Nicolas has a similar profile to me: like me, he was born in a delicatessen. When he was little, we lived right above the store, so he saw everything, all the time. Even as a baby, he was immersed in this world. It doesn't leave you indifferent!

Has your "American adventure" changed your way of seeing things?

G.V. : It certainly had a big impact on our career and our way of doing things. When chef Daniel Boulud contacted Philippe Legendre, a mutual friend and head chef at the Georges V in Paris, he was looking for a young charcutier to work with him. Philippe asked me if I knew anyone qualified. Honestly, in 2004-2005, it was hard to find a charcutier who spoke English and was willing to go and work in New York! After a few days' consideration, it was my wife Catherine who said, "Why not you?" We left for New York, Daniel came to Paris, and it was love at first sight, both professional and human. That marked the start of a 15-year collaboration, with projects in several cities and countries. From that point on, our business really took another turn.

What was the first dish you created together?

G.V.: Honestly, I don't remember precisely the very first dish, but I think it was around the first seasonal menu after Nicolas arrived in 2018. We had to work on the autumn-winter menu. It was a real moment of transmission.

N.V.: Yes, in 2018, I started to get involved in the development of the menu, but initially I was more of an attentive spectator. I was part of the company, but without really having the technical level to fully participate. I was in a learning phase. It was around 2020 that I really started to feel more at ease, especially with the creation of the vegetarian terrine... That's when I gained confidence.

G.V.: Ah, that vegetable terrine is a real symbol for us. It was very technical, very beautiful, but also very fragile! Jellies are often made from pork, but we had to find something else. What's interesting is that this terrine came about thanks to Nicolas' almost pure vision, precisely because he still lacked experience. With my 40 years in the charcuterie business, I probably wouldn't have imagined this dish in the same way. It's this blend of freshness and tradition that has given birth to something truly unique.

When you see your products on the menus of the finest Parisian restaurants, it's a proud moment to savor, isn't it?

G.V.: Oh, absolutely! I remember that our very first professional customer was the Georges V, 20 years ago. It was an immense source of pride. We're always delighted to see our products in so many different places in Paris. We love working with fine establishments, but there's always a selection process. Our products are not considered "cheap", and that's normal: they convey the quality of the raw materials we use, the know-how of our teams, the care we take. These collaborations with establishments are often the fruit of a meeting, of a shared desire to work together.

N.V.: For my part, I'd say it's a double source of pride. On the one hand, seeing our company represented in these prestigious establishments. On the other hand, to see that quality artisanal charcuterie, whether Verot's signature or not, has found its place in these high-end establishments. For a long time, this was unfortunately not the case. So to see renowned chefs or places like La Cave de Frenchie or Septime taking up the subject is absolutely brilliant.

Géraldine Martens

What's it like working as a family, father and son? Which takes precedence on a day-to-day basis, the family bond or the professional?

N.V.: We're always a bit in between. You'd have to be pretty schizophrenic to forget our family ties! But we try to remain serious in our activities and avoid mixing everything up. Otherwise, we can go from baking pies to organizing the family dinner in no time at all! Of course, we sometimes talk about it during the day, but we try to set boundaries, even if it's not always easy, because above all... we're a family. Father, mother, son.

And finally, tell us about one of your latest creations...

Gilles and Nicolas Verot: We're very proud of a pie we made with Mory Sacko for the Lafayette brasserie. It's made with yassa chicken and lemon. We drew inspiration from Mory's world, just as we did with Céline Pham to create the famous "bánh mì en croûte": a fusion of French charcuterie traditions and Asian influences, which was one of our greatest successes as an ephemeral product.

What's next? Gilles may be thinking of handing over the apron to Nicolas. In the meantime, as long as they're slicing side by side, our taste buds will be in for a treat. For the Verot family, charcuterie isn't just a job, it's a passion handed down from father to son, a family affair to be savoured like a good terrine: from the heart and without moderation.